Jessica stood outside the concert venue, wondering why she'd driven over three hours to see a man who didn't want her. She still wanted him. She couldn't explain why.
Jake, one of Sinners' roadies, raced past the barrier and climbed into the truck that held the band's equipment. He emerged seconds later with a length of cord. He glanced up and caught sight of Jessica. His eyes widened with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm not sure."
"Do you want to come inside?"
She nodded.
Jake drew her around the barrier, talked their way through security, and left her in the corridor that led to the stage. She could hear Sed singing onstage in the stadium. The shouts of the crowd and the band's music were just background noise. God, she loved him. Missed him. She had to see him. Even if he didn't want to see her. She'd stay out of sight and just watch him. It would be enough.
She crept behind the stage and squatted next to the drum kit. Eric stumbled over a beat. She glanced up to find Eric staring down at her in confusion. She pressed a finger to her lips. She just wanted to see Sed. She didn't even want him to know she was there.
Eric shrugged slightly and continued to pound his drums and cymbals with his typical enthusiastic flair.
Jessica couldn't take her eyes off Sed as he paced the front of the stage, singing, screaming, growling, raising his hands in the air to encourage the crowd.
Why can't I let him go? He doesn't want me.
She wiped her suddenly leaky eyes on her shoulder and sniffed her nose. What could she have done differently? She wasn't prepared to live without him in her life. She'd thought things were going so well between them and then like flipping a switch, he'd declared their relationship over. Why? Why would he do that? Had he lied about loving her? To hurt her, maybe? Like she'd planned to hurt him originally. Had the whole thing been a game to him? He was a much better player than she was.
Brian moved to the front of the stage and climbed on the ego riser to play his solo. Sed moved to the back of the stage to grab a drink of water. He chugged half a bottle and set it down near the drum kit. His eyes fell on Jessica. They widened. He froze. When Brian's solo ended and Sed was supposed to continue singing, he didn't move. Jace shoved him and he snapped out of his trance. Sed turned and entered the song mid-chorus. The crowd had been singing the lyrics anyway. They didn't seem to mind his lapse.
When the song ended, he handed his mic to Trey and launched himself over the drum kit platform to Jessica's hiding place. She stumbled backwards over a collection of cords, but Sed grabbed her by her upper arms before she could flee.
"What are you doing here?"
She couldn't answer his question, because she didn't know. She shook her head, tears streaming down both cheeks.
"I don't want to see you," he bellowed. "Don't you get it? Go away!"
She shook her head harder, tears flying from her cheeks. "No, I don't get it. I don't get it at all! What changed, Sed? What… I don't understand… Please, Sed. Please."
"You're gonna beg, Jess? Beg like one of my groupie whores? Go ahead. Beg. Beg me to take you back. It won't change anything."
"I love you." She couldn't see his expression because his face was blurred behind her tears. "I love you."
"You and fifty thousand other women."
He released her and she sat down hard on the stage. She drew her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around her shins, buried her face against her knees, and sobbed.
Sed's voice came through the speaker a moment later. "What do you say, Fresno? Are you ready to climb the gates of Hell?"